A review by leafybibliophile
The Forbidden Spell by Kaely Rose

4.0

I really enjoyed this! I tried to win it in a giveaway but it ended up only being one dollar on Amazon, so I just couldn't resist.
The overall vibe and plot is fantastic. It's cozy, spooky and exactly what October feels like. The characters are precious, and I liked learning about the magic system a lot. I'm such a sucker for seeing shifters (astrals, as they're called in this case) that aren't wolves or cats, so this also made me happy!
The romance wasn't quite realized by the end, but it seems to be still building up, so I think this is intentional since this looks to be a series.
The author is an OC cultivator and this book is her baby, set out into the world. I can just tell, as an OC creator and lover myself!
My only gripe was that the writing style wasn't overly gorgeous or easy to read, but I can completely sympathize, especially since this is a debut publication! I think it's a very strong start, and for one last high point, I was able to find some concept sketches which I go absolutely feral for and loved seeing. I hope that there'll be a book 2, because I'll certainly be first in line!